Grad Runner-Up for Pi Sigma Alpha Honors Thesis Award

Lisa Frank (College ’13), a Government major and member of the Honors Program, was selected as Runner-up for the Pi Sigma Alpha 2013 Undergraduate Honors Thesis Award.

Lisa Frank’s senior thesis was titled “Undocumented Developments: Immigrant Students and State Policy-Making.” She investigated state movement on the issue of college tuition and enrollment for undocumented students, including statistical analysis on the factors influencing policy adoption and case studies of Texas, South Carolina, and Oklahoma.  Her advisor was Bill Gormley.  Eric Langenbacher heads the Honors Program and Jim Lengle is our Department Pi Sigma Alpha representative.  

Lisa is starting a new job in her hometown, Portland, Oregon, as an Advocate with the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, and is an active volunteer for immigrant and workers’ rights, LGBTQ issues, transit justice, and youth activism.

The Government Department has a stellar history with the Pi Sigma Alpha competition.  Our previous awards include:

2012–Trevor Kosmo (winner)
2010–Komal Hiranandani (runner-up)
2009–Joe Hack (runner-up)
2008–Or Skolnik (winner)
2007–Diana Watral (winner)
2004–Mike Gramins (winner)
1999–Michael Nardis (runner-up)